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India’s first ever dedicated Detective Department was set up in 1868 by then Commissioner of Police Sir Stuart Hogg, primarily to control the incidence of major crime in the city, and its detection. Today, it is headed by a Deputy Commissioner, assisted by the Deputy Commissioner DD II. The Detective Department is made up of several squads and sections dealing with specialised types of crime.

Cyber Crime Police Station

In 2010, Kolkata`s first Cyber Crime Police Station was set up in Lalbazar with technical support from Infosys Technologies. The initial idea was to provide the city with knowledge-based policing. But given the steady growth of cyber crime over the next decade and more, the Cyber Crime PS has assumed a far more important role. In 2018, with cyber crimes in the city having registered a drastic increase, dedicated cyber police stations were also set up in each of Kolkata’s nine police divisions.

The Cyber Crime PS is housed within the Detective Department building and complaints can be directly lodged here both offline or via email to dccyber@kolkatapolice.gov.in. The PS is under the supervision of the Joint Commissioner of Police(Crime).

The Enforcement Branch of Kolkata Police is headed by a Deputy Commissioner (DC). The main functions of this unit are detection and prevention of commercial crimes and enforcement of control laws and orders relating to essential commodities, as well as the detection and prevention of circulation of spurious drugs, adulteration of foodstuff and movement of smuggled goods. The EB also prevents the evasion of taxes and duties and prosecutes offenders, while EB officers regularly conduct drives against faulty weights and measures used by unscrupulous traders.

The Headquarters Force consists of staff sanctioned for various units of the unarmed branch located at Lalbazar. It includes the following sections:

Police Transport: The entire Kolkata Police transport system, including allotments to different divisions and departments, rests with this section, whose chief function is to look after the safety and proper upkeep of police vehicles, as well as their efficient utilisation for the mobilisation of the police force or any other official purpose.

Control Room: The Control Room is the nerve-centre of Kolkata Police, and was originally set up by Sir Fredrick Halliday, appointed Commissioner of Police in 1906. Information of any trouble or apprehension of trouble or information of any other kind requiring police intervention is received here and directions are issued to concerned units for proper and prompt action.

Telephones: Kolkata Police has its own Electronic Private Automatic Branch Exchange (EPABX) at Lalbazar for inter-communication between all police stations, departmental offices, divisional offices, and senior officers. This section is under the charge of an Inspector. The primary duty of this section is to ensure the maintenance and smooth functioning of all telephone lines.

Women Police Force: This section is headed by a Deputy Commissioner (DC), and its main functions are to assist in the arrest of women accused, and executing search warrants for the rescue of kidnapped/ abducted women and children; to assist in the enforcement of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act; to escort female and juvenile offenders; to guard female prisoners in hospitals and lock-ups; to investigate cases relating to crimes against women; to assist in maintaining law and order during demonstrations involving women; and other law and order duties. All police stations under Kolkata Police have been provided with women police personnel.

Mounted Police: The Kolkata Mounted Police was introduced in 1840 with only two sowars under a dafadar (head officer) to carry messages and inform the harbour master whenever any ship was sighted. In 1842, arrangements were made for mounted policemen to patrol the maidan area. Before 1905, the sowars were all Indians, but in order to accommodate five European constables, the strength of the mounted constables was reduced from 35 to 20. 

At present, the Kolkata Mounted Police consists of one inspector, one sergeant-major, 12 sergeants, one JCO, five head sowars, 85 sowars and 98 syces, and is mainly deployed to regulate crowds on the Maidan during sporting events and fairs. The unit also participates in ceremonial parades and mounts guard at Raj Bhavan during VIP visits.

The Kolkata Armed Police (KAP) consists of eight battalions, each under a Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Police. Its main functions are to quell any widespread trouble or disorder in the city which the unarmed branch by itself may not be in a position to cope with. Other functions of this unit are to:

• Provide guards for important Government offices, treasuries and protected places
• Provide escorts for carrying arms and ammunition and Government treasuries
• Supply a striking force at Lalbazar Headquarters with a view to assisting to the unarmed branches

All battalions are under the overall supervision of the Jt. Commissioner, Armed Police

Kolkata Police (formerly known as Calcutta Police), the oldest Commissionerate and the pioneering police organization of this country, came into existence way back in 1856 when the Governor–General promulgated an Act treating Calcutta Police as an separate organization and S. Wauchope, the then Chief Magistrate of Calcutta (erstwhile name of the city of Kolkata) was appointed as the first Commissioner of Police.   The role of Kolkata Police has been defined under the Calcutta Police Act, 1866 & the Calcutta Suburban Police Act, 1866. Presently this organisation is dedicated towards maintenance of law & order, traffic management, prevention & detection of crime in the city of Kolkata as well as spearheading multifarious citizen friendly endeavours for the city-dwellers of different ages throughout the year.  Since inception, Calcutta Police Directorate (presently known as Kolkata Police Directorate) has been functioning as an integral part of Kolkata Police Organization towards dealing and discharging various administrative and financial matter related jobs. Kolkata Police Directorate is headed by the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata.  It primarily functions with employees termed as ministerial staff who are being inducted mainly through Public Service Commission, West Bengal.  At present, the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata and Joint Commissioner of Police (HQrs.), Kolkata are functioning as the appointing authority of the officers of Gazetted rank and employees of sub-ordinate ranks of ministerial staff respectively working under Kolkata Police Directorate.  They are being assisted by two officers viz. Administrative Officer, Kolkata Police of WBCS (Exe) Cadre and Controller of Finance, Kolkata Police of WBA & AS Cadre in the matter of administration and finance related matters respectively.

The head office of Kolkata Police Directorate situated at 18, Lalbazar Street, Kolkata 700 001 comprises of 22 Sections for dealing work related to administrative and financial matters of the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata.  All the 33 offices functioning under Kolkata Police work under the administrative control of Kolkata Police Directorate headed by the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata.

The RF is headed by a Deputy Commissioner (DC), and is mainly responsible for uniformed security arrangements at Raj Bhavan, State Secretariat, State Legislative Assembly, High Court and City Sessions Court, and other lower courts. Escorting of prisoners and guarding prisoners admitted to hospital are also among the responsibilities of this unit.

The DC RF is in charge of the Central Lockup at Lalbazar, which is quite distinct from lockups at other police stations. The Central Lockup usually accommodates all female prisoners, prisoners classed as Division I, and prisoners suffering minor illnesses not requiring hospitalisation. This requires the services of a medical officer, who works under the Police Surgeon and resides in quarters provided in the Central Lockup building.

The processing of applications for all new and renewable arms licences is done at the Arms Act Department, which is under the direct supervision and control of the DC RF, who is empowered by the Commissioner of Police to issue licences for all types of firearms except small arms.

In response to the growing challenge of nationalist organisations, Commissioner Frederick L. Halliday oversaw the creation of the Special Branch in 1909 on the recommendation of Sir Charles Tegart. Its original function was to gather confidential reports and intelligence on revolutionaries and secret societies fighting for India’s Independence. Today, it continues to perform specialised tasks, such as the monitoring of programmes involving VIPs, their movements, and security. It is headed by a Joint Commissioner of Police.

The SCO looks after registration work related to foreigners other than Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Nepalese nationals, and performs such functions as extension of residential permit, granting of multi-entry visa, no objection to return to India, visa conversion, granting of restricted and protected area permits, issuance of PIO cards to foreigners of Indian origin and their spouses, issuance of police clearance certificates to Indians who are residents under Kolkata Police jurisdiction, processing of ‘Overseas Citizenship of India’ applications etc.

As the civil authority and Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Kolkata, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) SCO passes deportation orders for foreigners and liaises with the Foreign Mission, and issues shore passes for marine crew there are international crew signing off and signing on the ship at Kolkata River Port Immigration and issues dock entry permit.

SCO does the work of International Passport enquiry on applications received from Regional Passport Office, Kolkata. The passport enquiries are made in respect of applicants residing within Kolkata Police Jurisdiction.

Immigration forms the vital factor of manifold functions of SCO. DC, SCO is also the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Kolkata and he looks after the Immigration matters with incoming and outgoing foreigners as well as its various aspects.

The foundation of Kolkata’s Traffic Police system was laid in 1827-28, when the city’s palanquin bearers went on strike and an innovative Englishman called Brownlow came up with the idea of attaching four wheels to a box and making a horse pull it, creating Kolkata’s first wheeled vehicles.

Today, the Traffic Department functions under a Joint Commissioner who is assisted by another four DCs (DCTP-I, DCTP-South, DCTP-II and DCTP-III). Its primary duty is to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the city. The Traffic Control Room functions round the clock to coordinate the fieldwork of the 25 Traffic Guards which actually implement the policing with regard to traffic in the city. The Traffic Control Room is responsible for traffic arrangements for special occasions as well as piloting. 

The Fatal Squad of this unit investigates cases of serious street accidents involving deaths. Road safety programmes are also organised by the Traffic Department. The Traffic Training School imparts training to traffic police personnel regarding traffic control and regulations, and traffic signalling. 

Details regarding the Traffic Department are available at kolkatatrafficpolice.gov.in

The Wireless Branch is headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police. Its primary function is to ensure rapid transmission of information on all important matters in the city and its suburbs to Headquarters for immediate action. A fleet of Radio Flying Squad vehicles patrol the streets of Kolkata round the clock for this purpose.